PORT TOWNSEND — The Port of Port Townsend voted Wednesday to assess a 1 percent levy rate increase, which would supplement its budget by approximately $8,551 a year.
“This may seem like a small amount, but we can use it to repair a dock,” said Commissioner John Collins.
Collins and Commissioner Dave Thompson voted in favor of adopting the levy, which Commissioner Leif Erickson opposed.
“In the current environment in Jefferson County, the current state of the economy, I would not be in favor of passing any tax increase at this time,” Erickson said.
Because of state Initiative 695, which voters passed in 1999, governing bodies can raise levy rates only 1 percent annually without voter approval but can delay these actions for three years.
That would have allowed the port to reject the proposed increase this year but levy a 2 percent increase next year.
“These are downtimes, and we need to be cognizant of the taxpayer’s burden,” Collins said, noting that the voters “rather overwhelmingly” approved Proposition 1, which raised sales tax 3 cents on every $10 purchase.
The port’s action will increase property taxes by 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation for a total tax of $32 on a $200,000 property, or about $1.50 more than the current port assessment.
The increase will be reflected on the 2011 property tax bill.
Phil Andrus of the Marina Tenants Union spoke in favor of the action.
“I think the taxpayers and the citizens of the county get fair value for the property tax they pay to the port,” Andrus said.
Both the three Jefferson County commissioners and the Port Townsend City Council approved a 1 percent increase, while the Jefferson Healthcare board decided against it.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
